Lesson 2: Grammatical features of a Factual Recount
Unit Topic: “Our Community: Bankstown”
Curriculum Link: HSIE
Yr Level: Stage 2 / Year 4
Lesson Number: 4 of 10
Lesson Topic: Writing a factual recount
Learning Area: English
Unit Aim: Students will learn about their local community and present information about Bankstown in an integrated HSIE / English unit. Students will examine how to effectively construct a factual recount (both written and spoken), including visual grammar and multimodal techniques that can be used to support information, for a specific audience and social purpose. By the end of the unit, students will produce texts that are well-structured (using the appropriate schematic structure of factual recounts) and well-presented (including supporting visual images). Unit Outcome: CUS2.3 Explains how shared customs, practices, symbols, languages and traditions in communities contribute to Australian and community identities. ·Identifies some significant customs, practices and traditions of their local community, beginning with Aboriginal people ·Gives some reasons why their local community is different to others and why it is of value and should be respected ·Identifies major community religions and places of religious significance in their communities, eg temple, church, synagogue, mosque ·Locates and identifies evidence of the languages used in their local community, beginning with the original Aboriginal languages, eg signage, place names, sign language
Lesson Aim: In previous lessons, students have been researching information about their local community. This lesson will focus on drafting a factual recount on a related topic selected by the students. Students will be encouraged to evaluate events in their factual recounts, using evaluative language and reported speech (BOS, 1998, pp.194-195). By the end of the lesson, students should have a greater understanding of how to construct a factual recount (Droga & Humphrey, 2005, p.141). Lesson Outcome: WS2.9 Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well-structured texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and written language features. ·Retells and discusses key events, main characters and setting in factual recounts ·Identifies and explains the purpose and schematic structure of a factual recount ·Recounts several aspects of a chosen aspect of their local community using evaluative language and reported speech
Resources: Pink, orange, blue and yellow highlighters (x the number of small groups), copies of The History of Bankstown: From Settlement to City (Bankstown City Council, 2003), introductory worksheets (see Appendix B), scaffolded worksheets for the structure of drafting a factual recount (Appendix C), pens, HSIE workbooks, HSIE resources (e.g. picture books, non-fiction books, website print-offs), a range of recounts cut up by their structure (title, orientation, record of events, reorientation) (Appendix D), glue.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction: In a shared reading session, read two factual recounts presented in The history of Bankstown: From settlement to city (Bankstown City Council, 2003) (see Appendix B). Then provide small groups with a worksheet of one of the two factual recounts read. In small groups, students use a blue highlighter to highlight words or phrases that indicate time, a yellow highlighter to highlight words or phrases that indicate location, a pink highlighter to highlight words that indicate evaluation and an orange highlighter to highlight any describing or classifying adjectives. Students then complete the questions on their worksheet, discussing their answers as a group (see Appendix B for worksheets). Students’ answers are then discussed as a whole class, with the highlighted words forming a class word bank on the board.
Teaching strategy/LearningActivity:
Teacher will: As a class, facilitate a brainstorm of the different topics students might like to write about in their factual recount.
Draw links with prior learning about HSIE content and previous research lessons.
Write the topic ideas on the board.
Hold a discussion on who the intended audience might be for the students’ factual recounts and what might be the purpose for their writing. Make links with the previously read text, how might the purpose of the council’s text be the same/different to the students’ texts?
Provide students with the scaffolded worksheet (see Appendix C) and read through the sections together. Answer any questions the students have on the content and instruct the students to write their topic at the top of their worksheet (this will form their title next lesson). Inform the students that they may use their HSIE workbooks, or any of the HSIE resources to help them write their recount. Provide students with assistance when required.
Students will: Participate in a class brainstorming activity to identify some topics that they can write about. Students consider what they have previously learnt on the topic to inform their contributions.
Students discuss and respond to questions on the audience and purpose of their factual recounts.
Students select a topic and use the classroom resources and the scaffolded worksheet to draft a factual recount.
Concluding strategy: The teacher has a range of factual recounts cut up into the different sections of the structure and in an envelope. The students select an envelope and must put the factual recount back into its correct order structurally. When they have done so, the teacher will check it and the recount should be pasted into their HSIE workbook. NOTE: students who are sitting near each other should have different recounts, this is an individual task.
Assessment: Students’ introductory worksheets will be marked by the teacher, to assess students’ understanding of the components of a factual recount (time words/phrases, location words/phrases, evaluation language, describing or classifying adjectives, topic, audience and purpose). This assessment will form the basis of any further learning experiences required on this content.
Students’ draft factual explanations will also be marked, to assess understanding of the structure and ability to apply information to a scaffolded schematic structure.
Key questions to be answered include: 1.Does the student display an understanding of the purpose and audience of the factual recount (selecting appropriate nouns, connectives, conjunctions and action verbs)? 2.Did the student use evaluative language or reported speech in their writing?
If, after marking, the teacher feels that the students require further work in any of these areas, the next lesson (lesson 6) will be modified to incorporate this knowledge.
Any special considerations or contingency plans: Students who are more capable may not require the scaffolded worksheet to complete their factual recount. These students could write their drafts into their English workbooks.
ESL students may have difficulties with some of the vocabulary used in the example factual recounts. The teacher should explain any words that the students may not be familiar with and should work closely with any groups who may find the introductory activity difficult. These groups should also be provided with the shorter factual recount (“Churches” – worksheet one Appendix B). ESL students may also require more assistance when writing their draft recount and a vocabulary bank should be displayed on the board for the course of the unit to assist these students. Early finishers may edit their first draft by examining their use of connectives, conjunctions, evaluative language and reported speech.
Self-reflection: ·Were the students engaged and motivated by the introduction? If not, what could I do better to assist their interest in this topic? ·Did the students have enough time to complete their draft factual recounts? ·What were two good parts of the lesson / what worked well? ·What did not work, or what would I change in the future? ·Will students be able to apply this knowledge to their final task?
Students will learn about their local community and present information about Bankstown in an integrated HSIE / English unit. Students will examine how to effectively construct a factual recount (both written and spoken), including visual grammar and multimodal techniques that can be used to support information, for a specific audience and social purpose. By the end of the unit, students will produce texts that are well-structured (using the appropriate schematic structure of factual recounts) and well-presented (including supporting visual images).
Unit Outcome:
CUS2.3 Explains how shared customs, practices, symbols, languages and traditions in communities contribute to Australian and community identities.
· Identifies some significant customs, practices and traditions of their local community, beginning with Aboriginal people
· Gives some reasons why their local community is different to others and why it is of value and should be respected
· Identifies major community religions and places of religious significance in their communities, eg temple, church, synagogue, mosque
· Locates and identifies evidence of the languages used in their local community, beginning with the original Aboriginal languages, eg signage, place names, sign language
In previous lessons, students have been researching information about their local community. This lesson will focus on drafting a factual recount on a related topic selected by the students. Students will be encouraged to evaluate events in their factual recounts, using evaluative language and reported speech (BOS, 1998, pp.194-195). By the end of the lesson, students should have a greater understanding of how to construct a factual recount (Droga & Humphrey, 2005, p.141).
Lesson Outcome:
WS2.9 Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well-structured texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and written language features.
· Retells and discusses key events, main characters and setting in factual recounts
· Identifies and explains the purpose and schematic structure of a factual recount
· Recounts several aspects of a chosen aspect of their local community using evaluative language and reported speech
Pink, orange, blue and yellow highlighters (x the number of small groups), copies of The History of Bankstown: From Settlement to City (Bankstown City Council, 2003), introductory worksheets (see Appendix B), scaffolded worksheets for the structure of drafting a factual recount (Appendix C), pens, HSIE workbooks, HSIE resources (e.g. picture books, non-fiction books, website print-offs), a range of recounts cut up by their structure (title, orientation, record of events, reorientation) (Appendix D), glue.
In a shared reading session, read two factual recounts presented in The history of Bankstown: From settlement to city (Bankstown City Council, 2003) (see Appendix B). Then provide small groups with a worksheet of one of the two factual recounts read. In small groups, students use a blue highlighter to highlight words or phrases that indicate time, a yellow highlighter to highlight words or phrases that indicate location, a pink highlighter to highlight words that indicate evaluation and an orange highlighter to highlight any describing or classifying adjectives. Students then complete the questions on their worksheet, discussing their answers as a group (see Appendix B for worksheets). Students’ answers are then discussed as a whole class, with the highlighted words forming a class word bank on the board.
As a class, facilitate a brainstorm of the different topics students might like to write about in their factual recount.
Draw links with prior learning about HSIE content and previous research lessons.
Write the topic ideas on the board.
Hold a discussion on who the intended audience might be for the students’ factual recounts and what might be the purpose for their writing. Make links with the previously read text, how might the purpose of the council’s text be the same/different to the students’ texts?
Provide students with the scaffolded worksheet (see Appendix C) and read through the sections together. Answer any questions the students have on the content and instruct the students to write their topic at the top of their worksheet (this will form their title next lesson). Inform the students that they may use their HSIE workbooks, or any of the HSIE resources to help them write their recount. Provide students with assistance when required.
Participate in a class brainstorming activity to identify some topics that they can write about. Students consider what they have previously learnt on the topic to inform their contributions.
Students discuss and respond to questions on the audience and purpose of their factual recounts.
Students select a topic and use the classroom resources and the scaffolded worksheet to draft a factual recount.
The teacher has a range of factual recounts cut up into the different sections of the structure and in an envelope. The students select an envelope and must put the factual recount back into its correct order structurally. When they have done so, the teacher will check it and the recount should be pasted into their HSIE workbook. NOTE: students who are sitting near each other should have different recounts, this is an individual task.
Students’ introductory worksheets will be marked by the teacher, to assess students’ understanding of the components of a factual recount (time words/phrases, location words/phrases, evaluation language, describing or classifying adjectives, topic, audience and purpose). This assessment will form the basis of any further learning experiences required on this content.
Students’ draft factual explanations will also be marked, to assess understanding of the structure and ability to apply information to a scaffolded schematic structure.
Key questions to be answered include:
1. Does the student display an understanding of the purpose and audience of the factual recount (selecting appropriate nouns, connectives, conjunctions and action verbs)?
2. Did the student use evaluative language or reported speech in their writing?
If, after marking, the teacher feels that the students require further work in any of these areas, the next lesson (lesson 6) will be modified to incorporate this knowledge.
Students who are more capable may not require the scaffolded worksheet to complete their factual recount. These students could write their drafts into their English workbooks.
ESL students may have difficulties with some of the vocabulary used in the example factual recounts. The teacher should explain any words that the students may not be familiar with and should work closely with any groups who may find the introductory activity difficult. These groups should also be provided with the shorter factual recount (“Churches” – worksheet one Appendix B). ESL students may also require more assistance when writing their draft recount and a vocabulary bank should be displayed on the board for the course of the unit to assist these students. Early finishers may edit their first draft by examining their use of connectives, conjunctions, evaluative language and reported speech.
· Were the students engaged and motivated by the introduction? If not, what could I do better to assist their interest in this topic?
· Did the students have enough time to complete their draft factual recounts?
· What were two good parts of the lesson / what worked well?
· What did not work, or what would I change in the future?
· Will students be able to apply this knowledge to their final task?